Empower Young Minds Through Books, Fitness, and Compassion

Some people find their calling in a single moment. For me, it was a journey—one shaped by the pages of countless books, the wisdom of history’s greatest thinkers, and the struggles of literature’s most complex characters.

I am competing in the Bondi Bay Triathlon, and while it is a test of endurance, discipline, and strength, it is also a deeply personal milestone in my journey—a journey that began with books.

I grew up believing that the mind was my greatest tool. I devoured the words of Socrates, Plato, and Marcus Aurelius, fascinated by their relentless pursuit of truth and self-mastery. But they taught me something even greater: the body is not separate from the mind—it is a vessel through which we express our full potential.

Socrates championed the idea of self-improvement through both physical and intellectual pursuits. Plato, in The Republic, emphasized that a complete education must include training both the mind and the body:

“The habit of the body is forged in the school of thought and philosophy.”

Marcus Aurelius, the Stoic emperor, reinforced this connection, reminding us that we must train ourselves to endure hardship and embrace discipline. Inspired by these teachings, I began exercising, not just for fitness, but as a way to test my limits, grow, understand discipline, and experience what it means to push beyond what I thought was possible. This triathlon is my way of putting these principles into action.

While philosophy strengthened my mind and body, literature deepened my understanding of what it means to be human.

Dostoyevsky’s characters wrestled with morality, suffering, and redemption. Kafka’s figures lived in absurdity, struggling against forces beyond their control. Their stories showed me the raw, unfiltered depths of the human condition—the suffering, the resilience, the fight for meaning in a chaotic world.

These books made me realise that medicine is not just science; it is the study of people, their pain and their perseverance. To heal is to understand, and to understand is to listen. Just as literature explores the struggles of the human soul, medicine is the practice of easing those struggles in real life. It is my lifelong pursuit.

This triathlon is a symbol of everything I’ve learned—the strength of the body, the power of the mind, and the compassion for others that drives my passion for medicine. But I want this journey to be about more than just me. That’s why I am raising funds for Dymocks Children's Charities, to allow other young minds to find the same inspiration in books that shaped my life.

Books have given me everything—a way of thinking, a way of moving, a way of caring. Now, I want to give back.

Every contribution, no matter the size, will help provide books to children who might just discover, as I did, that a single sentence can change the course of their lives.

Thank you for being part of this journey with me.